Last.



N0. 678,l37. Patented July .9, I90l.

Y H. F. scan.

LAST. (Application filed. m 24, 1897.)

(No Model.)

4 I flnry FSeoZt a fore part A anda heel part B.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. SCOTT, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORQBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF NEW JERSEY.

. LAST.

srnormcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,137, dated July 9, 1901. Application filed MayZ I, 1897- Serial No. 637,869- (NO model- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. SCOTT, of

Brockton, county of P1ym0uth,'State of Masing device, wherein one part of the last is adapted to slide along with relation to the other part of the last, the connection being, however, permanent.

Figure 1, in longitudinal section, represents a last embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a partial under side view of the last with the strips e e removed. Fig. 3 is a detail of the conneet-ion, and Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of the last in the line of its division.

The last shown is divided or cut' on the lines a a, the line a of one cut starting from the top of the last, while the line at of the other out starts from the bottom of the last, the said lines of out being in different vertical planes and being joined between the topv and bottom of the last by a cut a the latter out leaving opposing shoulders or abutments 3 4, (see Fig. 4,) which when the last is in its normal Working position rest one against the other. The cuts a a a separate the last into In the heel part and also in the fore part from the bottom of the last I bore substantially parallel with the line of cut a two holes a d, and I cut or slot the said holes out to the faces left by the cuts a ct. I have devised a peculiar connection. (Shown inFig. 3.) 'It consists of two metallic plates f g, each round at one edge, as at f g,and presenting two cars separated to leave slots between, and in these slots I place two like links h h, one end of each of 'said' links being connected with a proper pin 5, while the other ends or" said links are preferably slotted, as at 6, to slide on pins 7. These l, and pressure on the fore part of the last will be'sustained by the shoulder 3, resting on the shoulder 4 of the heel part, the inclined end of the fore part resting on the inclined end of the heel part next to it, the said parts being held firmly together and drawn closer and closer together, according to the pressure used, by or through the links it h, forming parts of the connection described, said connection occupying a substantially vertical position in the last, and in its movements one part is moved vertically with relation to the other part.

When the last is in use with the shoe upon it, the bottom of the last at such time being uppermost, the operator may strike the fore part of the last upon its instep portion, and may raise the fore part on or with relation to the heel part, so that the bottom of the fore part will assume a different level from the bottom of the heel part, and as soon as the fore part has been moved with relation to the heel part, which it will be supposed is held on a heel-pin, in the socket m, so as to bring the bottom of the last,at the j unction of the out line a with said bottom, below the shoulder 3 of the fore part, and the said fore part may then be slid backwardly substantially longitudinally with relation to the heel part, the bottom of the heel part coming underneath the shoulder 3 of the fore part, thus materially shortening the last, this shortening being represented by the dotted and .full lines in Fig. 1, the slot 6 in the connecting-links permitting of this longitudinal motion of the fore part on or over the heel part. These slots 6 permit the heel part to move from the full-line position, Fig.- 1, to the dotted-line position therein shown, without any tendency of the last to lengthen before it shortens. If

the links were located as shown and simply turned on their pivots 5 7 without being slotted, so as to permit of any longitudinal movement of the pivots 7 relatively to the links, the result would be that the last would be inoperative for lasting purposes, for the reason that as the link It, for example, turns on its pivot 5 as a center the pivot 7, if the slot 6 were absent, would necessarily move in the arc of a circle, and its position shown in full lines being below the horizontal plane of the pivot 5 it is obvious that its first movement would be to slightly lengthen the last, V

and then having passed the horizontal radial line of the pivotal center of movement 5 the last would shorten until the heel part reached its dotted-line position. By providing the slots 6, however, I permit the last to shorten from the very beginning of its upward movement, the links h it merely insuring that the heel part shall be brought snugly against the fore part when in its extreme positions of movement, at which times the bottoms of the heel part and fore part are maintained in or parallel to the same plane.

I do not claim as my invention the provision of two links having pivotal connection at their opposite ends to the fore part and heel part, respectively, unless the links are differently placed from the positions shown in the drawings, although I do not desire to limit my invention otherwise than as expressed in the claims.

Each of the plates of the connection is shown as provided with an opening, as n, which may be entered by a suitable bolt or pin 02 to thus confine the said plates firmly and rigidly in the last.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and (lesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A last including a fore part, and a heel part movable relatively to the said fore part, and a vertically-placed connection presenting plates located, respectively, in said fore part and heel part, and a jointed link connection between said plates compelling the bottoms of the fore part and heel part to be in the same or parallel planes solely when the heel part is in its extreme positions of move-' ment, substantially as described.

2. A last consisting of a fore part, and a heel part, and a vertically operative connection presenting plates located in said fore part and heel part, and two links uniting said plates, substantially as described.

3. A last consisting of a fore part, and heel part, and a vertically-placed connection presenting plates located in said fore part and heel part, and two links uniting said plates, said links being slotted, substantially as described.

at. In a two-part last, a fore part, and a heel part separated by lines of cut at a, a, a leaving shoulders 3, 4:, combined with a verticallyplaced connection composed of longitudinal plates, one of said plates being placed in the heel part and the other in the fore part, and means permitting bodily movement of the heel part relatively to the fore part and maintaining their bottoms in or parallel to the same plane, when the heel part is in the extreme positions of its movement, substantially as described.

5. A last including a fore part, a separate heel part, and a connection presenting a plurality of links between the said fore part and heel part, and adapted to be moved in a plane. 7 substantially at right angles to the bottom of the last, said connection including means permitting said links to have a longitudinal movement relatively to certain of their pivots, substantially as described.

6. A divided last having a link connection between the heel part and fore part of the last, said link connection being provided with a pivot at each end located in said respective parts, the pivot in the heel part being lower than the pivot in the fore part when the last is in its extended position, and means for permitting the fore part to be moved directly into its collapsed position without first lengthening the last, substantially as described.

7. Alast having a fore part, a separate heel part, anda connection between said fore part and heel part, said connection including a link pivoted at its ends in said fore part and heel part respectively, and means for permitting said link to have a longitudinal movement relatively to one of its pivots, substantially as described.

8. A last having a fore part, a separate heel part, and a connection between said fore part and heel part, said connection including a link pivoted at its ends in said fore part and heel part respectively, said link being longitudinally slotted at one of its said pivots, sub stantially as described.

9. A last divided transversely to permit it to shorten or collapse and provided with recesses in the adjacent faces thereof, a plurality of connecting-links located in said recesses one above the other, the ends of the links being pivotally mounted in the heel and fore parts respectively, and means forperrnitting the fore part to be moved directly into its collapsed position without first lengthening the last, substantially as described.

10. A last transversely divided into a toesection and a heel-section with a link pivoted to and permanently connecting the sections, said link holding the sections firmly together when in their extended position and constructed to allow the sections to slide on each other to shorten the last, substantially as described.

11. A last transversely divided into a toesection and a heel-section, and a link pivoted to and permanently connecting the sections, said link being slotted at one of its connections so that the sections may slide on one another to shorten the last, substantially as described.

' 12. Alast including a fore part, aseparate In testimony whereof I have signed my heel part, and a connection comprising a link name to this specification in the presence of 10 between the said fore part and heel part two subscribing Witnesses.

adapted to be moved in a plane substantially T T at right angles to the bottom of the last, said HEB RX SCOTT connection including means permitting said Witnesses: link to have a longitudinal movement rela- JOHN C. EDWARDS, tively to one of its pivots. 1 AUGUSTA E. DEAN. 

